N. Korea Accused of Nuclear Violations

VIENNA — The world's nuclear watchdog ruled Thursday that North Korea broke an agreement to halt the spread of nuclear arms and referred the matter to the United Nations for possible sanctions.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, meeting in Vienna with North Korea present, said the Communist state failed to comply with a nuclear safeguards agreement. It approved a resolution urging the U.N. Security Council to intervene.

The United States, Russia and Britain later issued a joint statement urging North Korea to reconsider its planned withdrawal from the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is intended to prevent the spread of nuclear arms.